•DARLA•

I stood up from the couch when I saw how angry he was. 

“Honey, what are you talking about?” I asked as I tried to get him to calm down because he was scaring me. 

I had never seen Elijah angry with me before, and it caused a knot in my stomach. 

“You know damn well what I’m talking about, and don’t you honey me,” he retaliated as he pointed his finger at me. 

His sister and mother stood up from the couch as well and stood behind me. 

I thought that they would have my back, but they just stood there and said nothing. 

“I didn’t do anything to anyone, Elijah. If you’re going to accuse me of anything without facts, then I suggest that you ask me nicely without shouting at me as if I’m a child.” I shot back. 

“You think that I don’t see through you?” He snarled as he leaned closer to me. “You’re a jealous bitch, and if you think that attacking and hurting Abigail will ever make me see you any differently, you got to think again.” 

“I am your wife, Elijah, in case you’ve forgotten!” I snapped. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” 

“Abigail told me what happened last night when you saw us at the restaurant. She told me everything and it made me realize what a bitch you are,” he sneered. 

My heart broke because I couldn’t understand what he was angry about when he chose to go out with her instead of celebrating our anniversary and my birthday with me. 

I couldn’t understand why he chose to shout at me in front of his family instead of calling me aside and addressing whatever issue he had with me secretly. 

“First of all, Elijah,” I pointed my finger back at him. “You forgot our anniversary and my birthday, but you were gladly able to meet Abigail in a restaurant and even hold her in public as if she were your wife!” 

“You hurt her, Darla. If you had a problem with where we were, you should’ve talked with me instead of involving her in your sick delusions that I might have been cheating with her!” 

I scoffed as I leaned back from him. He clearly thought that I was a fool and didn’t hear him tell her that he was going to divorce me to be with her. 

But I didn’t want to remind him of what he said because it was going to make it more real that he wanted to get divorced. 

It was bad enough that he made it clear every day that I was just a settlement and a business deal. 

“You heard him, Darla. My son is not cheating on you with anyone. You shouldn’t be so quick to react to any situation without facts,” his mother intervened behind me. 

Gosh, I couldn’t believe her. But what was I expecting? She could never defend me on anything, even if the evidence was clear in her eyes that her son was at fault. 

“You’re so right, Mom. I wonder how she’s going to react every time she sees Abigail at Houston’s Construction building now that she’s going to replace Sadie as his secretary. I’m sure she’s going to lose her temper and break every limb in her body,” Poppy chimed in. 

I looked at Poppy and then at Elijah and couldn’t believe that I had to hear from his sister that his ex-girlfriend was going to be his secretary, meaning that she was always going to be in his face. 

“What happened after you went to the restroom with her before we left? Did you do anything to her?” Elijah asked calmly as he leaned closer to me. 

It felt like I was in the middle of a battlefield, and they were all ganging up against me. 

“I didn’t do anything to her, I swear. I came back home with you and went to sleep without even bothering you about forgetting yesterday’s events.” 

Elijah sighed before he walked out of the lounge and went upstairs. 

I just collapsed down on the couch and groaned. I felt like crying because of how he reacted to something that I had no idea about. 

I imagined what he could’ve done to me if I had hurt Abigail last night when I saw her again in the restroom. 

“You see, Darla,” Zara whispered as she sat down next to me. “If you start focusing on getting pregnant instead of trying to find out who Elijah hangs out with and when, the better things will be for you.” 

“Exactly, Mom. Abigail is my friend, and Elijah has every right to help her, especially now that she has just returned from Turkey to finish her studies. She and Elijah go way back.” 

“Oh, please, stop with that, Poppy! Elijah and Abigail will never happen.” Her mother scolded her. “You’re making things worse. Just go to your room or something.” 

“I was just saying that she shouldn’t be jealous because Abigail’s not going anywhere,” she replied as she grabbed her juice bottle on the table contour. 

“Go away and let me talk with my daughter-in-law,” Zara answered as she removed a lock of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear. 

“I’ll go, but I hope she heard me, Mom. Abigail’s not going anywhere,” she announced as she giggled while walking away. 

“Forget about what Poppy said. Elijah knows better than to choose Abigail over you. You’re far more worthy of a wife than she would ever be,” Zara said as she got up and brought me a glass of water. “Now, if you think that you might have any problems conceiving, I’m ready to take you to a fertility doctor to find out the problem and solutions.” 

“It’s alright, Zara. I don’t have any problems, and neither does Elijah,” I answered as I took the glass and took a sip. 

“If you say so, then be haste with producing an heir for him. A good wife is not a woman who knows her way in the kitchen or the bedroom, but a wife is someone who knows how to bring heirs for her husband to grow his name and empire.” 

I flashed her a half smile. “Of course.” 

*** 

“Hey,” Elijah whispered as he came to sit next to me on the bed with a gift bag in his hand. 

I was busy with my night face routine as I looked at him. “Yes?” 

I was still angry at how he shouted at me in front of his mother and sister as if I didn’t mean a thing to him. 

Well, I didn’t really mean a thing to him, but he didn’t have to rub it on my face every chance he got. 

“I brought you this little gift. I saw this necklace and thought of you,” he said as he handed it to me. 

“I’m sorry that I forgot your birthday, it will never happen again. But, Darla… Please promise me that you will never cause trouble with Abigail. She doesn’t mean any harm to you or our marriage. She’s like family to me now.” 

“Yeah, of course.” I smiled as he got up and kissed my cheek before he went to his side of the bed and went to sleep. 

I looked over at him and sighed. 

I hoped that he was right. I hoped that whatever I thought I heard was all in my head.